


preliminary

by superstringtheory



Series: College/Grad School AU [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Caretaking, Common Cold, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Fever, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Sick Klaus Hargreeves, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-20 22:14:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20682773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superstringtheory/pseuds/superstringtheory
Summary: Klaus is too preoccupied by studying for his grad school exams to let something as minor as acolddeter him.





	preliminary

Dave surveys his reflection in the mirror on the back of his door: he’s gotten into vintage 1970s stuff lately, and since the startup’s dress code is literally “be dressed,” no one bats an eye at his powder blue pant and vest sets or his new mustache. Half of them are in pajama pants or old college sweatshirts anyway. 

He eyes his current outfit critically- he hasn’t seen Klaus in a few weeks, which has been torturous. They’ve been FaceTiming as much as they can, but since Klaus has been studying hard for his preliminary exams, lately “as much” has only been a few times a week, and Dave misses him terribly. 

Klaus is like an extra limb he never knew he needed but now can’t live without. FaceTime is only a temporary prosthesis. 

In any case, he hopes that Klaus will like the new (to him, anyway) pointy-collared blue disco shirt and high-waisted black flares. 

He sends Klaus a text when he gets to Grand Central. 

**Dave Katz:** _can’t wait to see you soon. I’m about to get on the train_

**Klaus Hargreeves:** _I can’t wait to see you either. Text me when you’re close to the station_

They’re pretty lucky, Dave supposes- despite Klaus’ initial worries about his grad school prospects, Klaus had scored so high on the GRE that he could get in anywhere he wanted- since they’re only a train ride away. Dave’s in NYC working for a tech start-up, and Klaus is at Yale working on his Ph.D in anthropology. 

Dave uses the train ride to catch up on a few podcasts, and before he knows it, the train is pulling into the station. 

**Dave Katz: ** _ Train is here!  _

**Klaus Hargreeves: ** _ I see it! _

Dave sends back a little waving hand emoji, and smiles as he gets his bag from under the seat. 

The smile only falters when he gets up to the waiting area and sees his boyfriend.

***

Klaus looks-- well, he looks like shit. He’s normally flushed with exuberance, quite literally bouncing with excitement to tell Dave about his plans for his thesis or a silly story about his undergrads. 

Today, though, he just looks flushed- and droopy, if that adjective could be applied to a person and not an underwatered house plant. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Dave says, and pulls Klaus in for a hug. He draws back for the subsequent kiss, and Klaus feels warm, his neck and forehead a little damp with perspiration. 

“Sweetie, you didn’t have to run here,” Dave says. “I don’t mind waiting for you.” 

“Didn’t run,” Klaus says, and--  _ oh _ . 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” 

“Didn’t want you to worry.” Klaus drags a wrist under his nose, then lets out a cough that sounds like it’s clawing its way up through his entire respiratory system. 

“You sound like you should be at home in bed.” Dave hefts his overnight bag back up on his shoulder, then holds a hand out to Klaus. “Come on, let’s go.” 

*** 

Dave surveys Klaus’ studio apartment like a crime scene when he arrives and Klaus excuses himself to the bathroom. There’s evidence everywhere: two boxes of tissues, several abandoned mugs of tea, a little squeezy bear half-full of honey. Cough drop wrappers on the coffee table. 

“Looks like you didn’t come down with this overnight,” Dave notes mildly as Klaus reemerges. 

Klaus gives him a long-suffering look. He considers. “You could say that,” he says cagily. His voice catches on the last syllable, and the cough pitches him forward almost comically. 

  
“God,” he says when it dies down. “Well,  _ that  _ sucks.” 

“So,” Dave continues, sitting down on the couch. “Were you going to tell me you were sick, or just tell me that some cough drop fairies dropped by while you were out?” 

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Klaus reaches for a glass of water that’s on the coffee table, and Dave hands it to him. Klaus takes a few measured swallows. “I just… I didn’t want to ruin your visit, and I thought that maybe I’d feel better by the time you got here.” He injects brightness into his voice, but it’s a broken levee and whatever illness he has is Hurricane Katrina. 

“Uh-huh.” Dave nods. “And I’m sure this had nothing to do with you being too busy to FaceTime the last few days, right?” 

“Mm.” Klaus turns away to sneeze and takes his time getting a tissue. “Well, I  _ was _ very busy with studying. Prelims, you know.” 

“I do.” Dave catches Klaus by the wrist and tugs until he’s sitting next to him. “I also know my boyfriend is a stubborn mule who won’t stop working until he literally collapses.” 

“Excuse you.” Klaus pouts, but smiles when Dave leans in to kiss him. He pulls away at first. “Stop, I don’t want to get you sick.” 

“It’d be worth it.” Dave squeezes Klaus a little closer until Klaus relaxes into him. 

Dave pets his hair. “So, how do you really feel, sweetness?” 

“Ugh.” Klaus groans. “Are you really going to make me play that game?” He buries his face into the collar of Dave’s shirt. Dave tries not to think about what mucus might to do to mint-condition vintage rayon. 

“Hmm,” Dave says, drawing back a little. “Let’s see. You’ve got a cough,”-- he presses his fingers into Klaus’ chest-- “a sore throat,”-- he gently touches Klaus’s Adam’s apple-- “a slight fever,”-- he feels Klaus’ forehead with the back of his hand--”and”-- he kisses Klaus on the tip of his nose--”congestion.” 

Klaus just snuffles back into Dave’s neck. “It’s just a bad cold,” he says into the fabric. “It’ll go away soon.” 

“Probably,” Dave agrees. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t help make you feel better while I’m here.” 

Klaus makes a noncommittal noise that Dave chooses to interpret as agreement. Dave lets him snuggle there for a while until he starts nodding off and Dave takes that as an opportunity to disentangle himself from Klaus’ long limbs and get up. 

Klaus blinks, then coughs chestily. “Ugh,” he says, curling onto his side. “Don’t feel good, Dave.” 

“Aww, honey, I know,” Dave says. “But I’m going to get some soup going, how about that? Maybe get some meds into you.” 

“Uh-huh.” In the absence of Dave’s collarbone, Klaus works a throw pillow under his head and closes his eyes again. 

Well, that’s progress in some regards: Klaus is at least letting Dave know how he feels and isn’t running away from being taken care of. Dave counts that as a win. 

*** 

Dave lets Klaus sleep until the soup and grilled cheese are ready. Once he has everything plated and set out on the coffee table, he gently shakes his boyfriend awake. 

Klaus comes awake slowly, stretching and then making a face as his symptoms make themselves known again. 

“Supper’s ready,” Dave tells him. “Eating something should help. Judging by the state of your fridge, you haven’t been eating much.” 

“Meh.” Klaus shrugs. “Wasn’t that hungry.” 

Dave just shakes his head in fond annoyance. “Well, I think it’ll help. Plus, I went to the Walgreens around the corner and got you the good stuff.” He indicates the purple Nyquil bottle set next to Klaus’ bowl and Klaus lets out a little croak of gratitude. 

His breath hitches then and he sneezes spectacularly, then looks dazed. 

“Sorry,” he manages, sniffling. “Think I just saw my life flash before my eyes.” 

“Here.” Dave hands him a tissue and then nudges the bowl of tomato soup a little closer as Klaus blows his nose. 

“No matzo?” Klaus asks, looking a little disappointed. 

“Sorry, babe,” Dave says. “I had to go with what Walgreens had in can form. You’re welcome, by the way.” 

“Ugh.” Klaus leans his head over to rest briefly on Dave’s shoulder. “I don’t deserve you.” 

“Shh.” Dave shushes him. “Just eat the soup.” 

*** 

By the time Dave has to head back to New York, Klaus is doing much better-- thanks in no small part to copious amounts of tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, and snuggling in bed with his boyfriend. 

Dave receives a text from Klaus as he’s unlocking the door to his Brooklyn apartment. 

**Klaus Hargreeves:** _thanks for taking care of me this weekend_

**Klaus Hargreeves:** _I owe you one. ;) _

Dave sets his duffel bag down on the floor of the hallway and smiles, thinking. 

**Dave Katz:** _Anytime, sweetheart. Anytime._ And he means it. 

*****

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [tumblr](superstringtheory.tumblr.com) and basically all I do is think up scenarios in which Klaus is sick so hit me up if that's your jam too.


End file.
